By: William H. Kelly III
Jackson State University’s Office of Community Engagement hosted the Gowdy Washington Addition Exhibition on Friday, July 28, at the JSU downtown campus. The exhibit showcased the history of Jackson, Mississippi, and the stories of 10 residents from Gowdy Washington Addition.
“As I walked in the door, I felt so much warmth,” said JSU’s Acting President Elayne Hayes-Anthony. “This exhibition is critical to preserving our history and maintaining the integrity of our oral tradition. It should always remind us of how much we have achieved and also how much could be lost in the process. It further acknowledges the significance of connections and how we all, whether we recognize it or not, have a part in shaping the future of our community.”
Hayes-Anthony recalled her time as a student at Jim Hill High School, and her days as a former Miss Jim Hill High School.
“Please enjoy reminiscing. I already have. Just looking at your faces and reminiscing about some of the fond times that I had, I think about my legacy, and I think about my mom.”
JSU’s Director for the Office of Community Engagement, Heather Denne, Ph.D., gave empowering remarks to Black women involved in, and out of, the Gowdy project.
“I want to thank a group that I literally work alongside every single day. I want to thank beautiful black women. Day in and day out, black women have been sustaining our community since the beginning. Black women are change agents and don’t get the credit that they deserve,” said Denne. “If you need something changed, get a black woman on your side.”
The building was packed with guests, loved ones, and residents of the Washington Addition. Some even came dressed in their best 1950s juke joint gear to celebrate the occasion, and grooved to energetic selections from the Jim Hill High School Choir.
“Our community has a rich history with proud, resourceful and compassionate people. Our trust in God, hard work and desire to learn have produced doctors, educators, judges, and legislators, just to name a few, but they all lived in what we call the ‘dition’,” said Felicia McClinton, Gowdy Washington Addition neighborhood association president.
Melvina Harper Deans, 90, is one of 10 members featured in the oral histories and photo exhibit. Deans shared that the exhibition was “exceptionally nice,” and would like to see an increase of support for Washington Addition from the state and city.
“I was quite honored. I’ve been with Washington Addition and worked with the neighborhood association ever since it was organized, I believe, in the 80s. I was really surprised at the effort that had gone into [the exhibition], but I was proud of it,” said Deans. “Everything was just amazing to me. I feel like it opens a gateway [for youth], because it makes them knowledgeable of what actually happened and how people actually lived.”
As the program continued, Jamie Destefano, the survey consultant for the Gowdy project, revealed that this was the largest project she’s been involved with in her 15 years as an architectural historian.
“We documented about 1200 buildings in Washington Addition, the Lynch Street Corridor and Jackson State University. It’s been an honor meeting several of the residents here and just learning about the history of the community and the rich heritage here,” said Destefano.
Theresa King is from Washington Addition and served as the oral historian for the project. She described her time documenting the oral histories of the community using an acronym for “unique”: unimaginable, neighborly, inclusive, quaint, unconditional love, and extraordinary.
Before coming to a close, Hayes-Anthony and McClinton joined Denne to present a $5,000 check dedicated to the oral historians of Washington Addition, who provided their knowledge and time throughout the development of the exhibition.
The exhibit will be available for guests for a minimum of three months. You may visit the exhibit at the JSU downtown campus, 101 Capitol Street, from 8-5 pm, Monday through Friday. No reservation is required.
This project is supported by a Historically Black Colleges & University grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
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Media Contact: William H. Kelly III, william.h.kelly@jsums.edu